North Tampa Community Alliance

To dream the impossible dream

Apr 21, 2005

Rehabilitating our Nebraska Avenue Corridor

Our North Tampa community is a diverse, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural community. Although many who are reading this article are newcomers to the Tampa area, this part of Tampa has a long history; one of local businesses which catered to its residents and tourists over many years. As a new bride I remember walking to grocery stores,
restaurants and shops of all kinds. Sulfur Springs had the beautiful old Arcade that housed a group of stores along a covered walkway.
Northgate, a few blocks over, had more restaurants and grocery stores. It was an innocent time, and people felt safe to be outside,
and kids could walk home from school without being approached by drug dealers, prostitutes, or child molesters.

I realize that most of you have no personal knowledge of this environment since many of you have moved to the suburbs where you have a (false) sense of security. Many think that crime is only a problem over here in Sulfur Springs and in "Suitcase City".

The truth is that this area is serving as the breeding ground for thousands of crimes being committed all over the city and county. I have witnessed men in company vehicles, and luxury cars doing business with hookers in broad daylight here in North Tampa. Those people don't live here?….they just drive through and go back to work or to their homes in the suburbs, and sometimes the currency of choice is not money?…it
is crack cocaine!

North Tampa's crime is everybody's problem. It has driven away many small businesses. It has caused a flight to the suburbs by the old
families who were the early leaders of this community, as well as young families who are just getting established. This has encouraged
slumlords to move in and provide refuge for an ever-growing crime element. It has driven up the cost of insurance, both for homes, automobiles and businesses. Just check it out; based upon zip codes, you'd be shocked at the differences. I am convinced that the powerful people in Tampa have decided to make this part of town their dumping
ground for every derelict and dope dealer north of Kennedy Blvd.

Well, I resent having my neighborhood of many years becoming anyone's dumping ground. In defense of TPD, there is just not enough manpower
to provide police officers on every corner, or to answer every call in time to affect an arrest. I recently saw some statistics that indicated our crime rate is down by several percentage points.
However, those numbers do not take into account the fact that many crimes go unreported. Many of my neighbors have just given up and are moving away.

It is my hope and intention to encourage new business in this area and to support all legitimate businesses by inviting them to join our
North Tampa Chamber of Commerce. It is also my sincere hope that you will see the potential benefits from joining me in asking our Mayor
and City Council to make fighting crime and cleaning up North Tampa a priority so that we can attract new homes and businesses and keep the ones we still have.

We need a holistic approach to accomplish positive changes. Why not invite USF to get involved by establishing a think tank to address
the many causes of these problems? Mobilize our city, county and state departments to aggressively address issues such as Solid Waste,
Police Patrols, Parks and Recreation, and FDOT (for help with road beautification), and so on. This city has the talent?…they just don't
seem to be talking to each other, or they are not adequately funded or motivated, and can't see that there are answers.

These problems impact everyone. What can you do?
Please contact me for further information on implementing a plan of action that will draw interested parties from the community to
address these issues and find solutions. It is vital that our elected officials be made aware of the need to correct this disparity.

Thanks for your interest,
Joan Lambert ?– Concerned for North Tampa's future.
JBL1333@yahoo.com